Kea (Nestor notabilis) are an endemic, large parrot from the family Nestoridae; and they reside in the Southern Alps of Aotearoa New Zealand. They are classified as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with a population of approximately 4,000.
They have beautiful olive-green plumage, with underwings that are orange-red with black and yellow strips. They can weigh over 1 kg, and males are up to 20% larger than females. They can live between 30 – 50 years. They are intelligent, curious, and cheeky.
You can contribute to protecting Kea by never feeding them, they are adept foragers; driving slowly where they reside, as they are very vulnerable to car collisions; giving them space and respect; and supporting the work of the Kea Conservation Trust.
Photo: Sian Mair, taken from a safe distance and zoomed in on.